What I Want Is You

It's been a few days since I have last spoken to Aera but you can't blame me. How can I even bare to face her again after making such a fool of myself? Really this might be the end of my relationship with her, I should probably just cut off all ties with her and head off to live in the forest near the capital somewhere. Ugh the more I look back on it the more it enrages me. I don't know who I should blame for this embarrassing moment; Aera or I? Aera…it's definitely Aera's fault for tricking me. Well I guess I better go say goodbye to my sister. Wait no! This is silly. I am Ryouga. I should be able to get myself out of this ridiculous situation. My opponent is Aera so I am confident in my abilities to fool her into believing anything. Just the other day I told her watermelons grew in underground lakes and that's where their name derived from. Needless to say she was awestruck. Very well I have made up my mind; I shall fool Aera into believing that the incident was nothing more than a creative ploy I made because I wanted to tease her.

"Um…Ryouga.." A quiet voice came from behind a tree I was leaning against. This…is not Aera's voice. "U-um may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Hmm?" I turned my head around to see who it was that was speaking. Oh…it appears to be one of the girls that reside in the village. Shoulder length blonde hair, warm big brown eyes and a slender frame. Her pale pink dress flowed gracefully around her knees. Her hands we held up close to her chest as if she was approaching a fearsome stranger. "But of course."

"W-well I know we haven't talked before but…" She stammered as she cowered closer to the tree trunk. "I would l-like for us t-to get to know e-each other b-better."

"Huh?" I spewed.

"U-uh well it's j-just that I r-really li-lik….li-l-l-i….r-really u-um…li-li…like...i really l-like y-you." She blushed a vicious colour of red.

"I am flattered that you think of me in such a way." I replied calmly. At times like the prince image really comes in handy. "However may I ask what your name is?"

"M-my name is Ellis." She whispered.

Hmm it sounds like a foreign name. Come to think of it she says we have never readily conversed…but I don't even recall her living here for this long. Could she be a relatively new resident? I think I have seen this girl around a few weeks ago but I have never really taken notice before. Oh no, she couldn't have possibly been in love with me the moment she moved in could she? Ugh…new trouble.

"Ah what a lovely name." I smiled gently at her. To my amusement her face grew brighter as she covered her mouth with the left hand in shock. Hmpf what a funny girl. Actually if it wasn't for Aera this girl could've possibly my ideal type; cute, shy, pretty and rather docile. The exact opposite of Aera.

"Th-thank you very much." She whispered.

"Now now there is no need to be so reserved." I smiled. "We're friends now aren't we?"

"U-um thank you." She smiled.

"You're smiling face is quite cute. It's shameful to hide it by looking down all the time." I said cheerily.

"A-ah no, please don't say things that are not true." She blushed.

"I wouldn't lie to such a pretty lady." I laughed a little. "Come, sit."

"N-no I couldn't possibly." She shook her head shyly. "I mean you've already been so kind to me, a stranger."

"A friend." I charismatically corrected. "Won't you come have a little chat with me?"

"I-I would love to but is that really alright?" She asked hesitantly. "Miss Aera would get upset wouldn't she?"

"My my, how caring." I responded. "But I'm sure Aera wouldn't mind. Afterwards lets go on a little date in the village shall we?"

"Ahh! N-no I couldn't possible." She withdrew behind the tree a little more. "I-I mean not so suddenly."

"That's a shame. I would've loved to get to know a sweet and beautiful lady like you." I shot her my most captivating smile.

"W-well I will be seeing y-you around." She stammered as she ran off in the opposite direction. I chuckled a little at her timid attitude, she seems like someone you could tease endlessly and still be amused. Ah well that sure was fun. Teasing people sure is entertaining.

"Ryouga!" Another voice called out from behind a bush in the distance. I turned back in shock only to find Aera's head popping out of it. She was covered in leaves and twigs; her face was puffy due to anger. I guess this could only mean that she saw me talking with Ellis earlier. Eavesdropping?

"Aera? What were you doing there? I can't say eavesdropping is a particularly good hobby." I smiled at her a little.

"Why were you being friendly with another girl?" Aera frowned at me in disappointment.

"Because it's only natural to be polite to women." I replied nonchalantly.

"You're not polite to me!" She whined a little.

"You're not a woman." I dismissed her complaint casually.

"What? Do you like that girl or something?" Aera stomped her foot at me.

"That's really none of your business Aera." I reject her concern indifferently.

"Yes it is! You were about to propose to me a few days ago!" Aera roared.

I sat there in silence, absolutely dumbfounded by her words. I had completely forgotten about that incident when we got lost in our ramblings. I looked up at her with my mouth gaped open. She frowns back with a slightly pink face. I couldn't say anything. All the shame and embarrassment came and hit me like a tonne of hammers. I could feel my face rigorously heating up. I adverted my eyes.

"That was nothing." I calmly stated.

"No! You grabbed my hand and everything." She defended herself.

"No, you're mistaken." I argued. "Anyway I'd rather fall for a pretty girl like her."

"Fine! Then maybe I should really go marry Orin." Aera started to tear up a little.

"Why are you so angry?" I asked feeling a little agitated by her words.

"Because Ryouga is an idiot!" she yelled and struck me across the face. My eyes widened as she ran off crying. It stings…my face that is.

I don't understand. Why was Aera so angry at me? We always tease each other like this, today should be no different. Could it be that she is tired of my merciless treatment? Or perhaps she is simply stressed? Attention seeking maybe? Hmm or possibly she was jealous. That seems like the most logical one judging from all the facts I've gathered. She was eavesdropping on me when I was conversing with another female, she got frustrated when I wouldn't talk to her about my feelings for that girl, she cried and hit me. This sounds like a bad case of PMS? No I don't think it's her time of the month yet. Then the other reason is that she is in love with me…or possibly Ellis but I'd like not to think about that. I don't want to jump to conclusions but it seems like that way...I really don't know what to feel. All these years of unrequited feelings. All this time I've been trying to distance us but really she's been in love with me this whole time. Should I go chase after her?

"Aera!" I yelled was my body stood up by itself and ran. 'Aera! Wait!"

"Don't chase after me!" She screamed back from a distance. "You girly-haired jackass!"

"W-what did you say?" I replied angrily. "Why you impudent little brat!"

"Shut up! Why don't you go do indecent things with that girl?" Aera was spewing nonsense now.

"H-hey! Don't say those kinds of things when you're running through the village idiot!" I bellowed. "Don't draw too much attention to yourself."

"Why do you care? You only like cute girls anyway." Aera started to pick up the pace a little. "Stop following me!"

"I just happen to be running full speed this way as well!" I joked hoping it would lighten up her mood.

"Shut up!" Aera sharply turned a corner.

"Aera!" I turned the corner with great haste but she wasn't there. I looked to the left of the shop towards the waterfall but no one was there. I turned my head and looked to the right of the shop towards Goura's Gate but I didn't see her. "Aera where did you go?"

"You only like cute girls." Her voice can out of thin air.

"A-aera?" I called out feeling startled. "Where are you?"

"You only like girls who are good and obedient." Her voice sounded sad. "I know you."

"Aera come out." I said while puffing.

"I know you like kind girls who are timid and sweet." Aera continued talking. "I know that."

"Aera…" I didn't have the courage to say anymore.

"You really love slender girls who appear meek so that you can protect them." She continued. "I've been with you for so long so I know these things."

"Aera just listen to me!" I retorted. "That's not completely true."

"You like girls w-who know how to dress up. You li-ike it when they have charm." Aera started to stammer a little.

"Aera just stop." I commanded.

"You want them to be intelligent so that they can match up to you. You like them to be elegant and proper so that they can look good next to you." Aera continued.

"W-what? I never said I wanted that." I replied hastily. "That's not true."

"You'd want someone like Ellis." Aera stated coldly.

"You knew her name?" I asked.

"I knew It because…she was my rival." Aera replied slowly. "I couldn't let someone who held such strong feelings for you get close."

"W-why?" I asked again. "Why would you do something like that?"

"Hmm let me think." She pondered. "Maybe because I love you?"

I felt something hit me. I didn't know what it was. It was bitter yet sweet. It was painful yet comforting. It was confusing yet clear. It was terrifying yet exciting. It was cold yet warm. Her heart felt as if it was going to burst into many different directions, this was something my brain could not analyze. I felt happy yet guilty at the same time. I wanted to run away from the scene yet I wanted to find Aera and hold her tight. I spun around in every direction trying to find the source of the voice. I needed to find it.

"Aera! Come out!" I yelled desperately…something I'd never thought I'd do. Suddenly I hear creaking sounds from above I turned my head towards the roof top of the shop…there she was. Tears streaming down her face yet she looked dominant standing there and looking down on me. "Aera."

"I'm not coming down." She started sobbing a little. "I don't want to. We live in different worlds and you know that."

"Aera. Come to me." I spread my arms out.

"No." She stated. "No matter how hard I tried I couldn't become the person that you wanted."

"Huh?" I felt a little shocked.

"I tried being cute and kind but I just couldn't do it." She stared down at me with tender yet heartrending eyes. "I couldn't cross into your world."

"Aera…how long have you felt this way?" I asked feeling shaken. Aera didn't reply.

"Ryouga, go away."

"I won't."

"Why not? Go after Ellis."

"I'm not going to."

"A reason?"

"I have plenty."

"Name one."

"Okay. I love you."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying."

"I don't believe you."

"Shall I prove it?"

"If you can."

"I love the way your pink hair is always in your face when you run towards me in the morning and how it never seems to bother you. I love how you always show up after I have been madly contemplating about you. I love how you're always headstrong and friendly. I love how I can be real around you and not this fake prince like everyone else. I love how I can tease you mercilessly and you will still put up with me. I love how you get angry and your cheek puff up when you sulk, I think it's cute. I love you because you're adorable. I love how you save me from myself. I love how you can make me happy whenever I'm feeling useless. I love your fiery personality and your willingness to help anyone. I love how you're both predictable and unpredictable. I love you more than anything."

"Ryouga…"

"You know me. You would know how hard it would be for someone like me to say things like this yet I still said it. I said it out loud and in the middle of the village."

"I know."

"Come down?"

"…..Okay."

Aera started tearing up even more as she jumped off the rooftop and made her way into my arms. A smile appeared on her face and mines when I caught her. She sat there comfortably in my arms as she looked at me.

"I love you Ryouga."

"Yeah, same here."

"Say you love me again."

"I've already said it so many times, you should say something."

"I love everything about Ryouga. You're good points and your bad points."

"That's it?"

"You don't need words to know how I feel."

"I guess that's right."

"But I need words to understand you haha."

"I guess but no if I do this."

"Hm?"

She looked at me curiously. I smiled genuinely and lean in towards her face. She couldn't get away and she knew it. Aera began struggling in my arms because she knew what was coming to her. I slowly moved towards her lips, I could feel her rough unsteady breath on my face. She closed her eyes while her cheeks were flushing vividly. How cute. I couldn't help chuckling a little before I pressed my lips against hers. Time seemed to have paused for just the moment.

It seems that I really did want this girl…and I wanted her badly too. I probably knew that since the very beginning though. I probably knew this was going to happen eventually but I just delayed the process. I shouldn't have.

"I really shouldn't have."

"Hm?"